Flexible Docking Bay

1. A flush mounting docking bay comprising: a body having a cartridge-receiving portion, wherein said cartridge-receiving portion has a rear bounding wall and a front region that defines an opening, and wherein said cartridge-receiving portion further comprises a cartridge-encasing wall extending from said front region to said rear bounding wall; a sled-receiving feature configured to engage a cartridge, wherein said sled-receiving feature is movably coupled with an interior surface of said cartridge-encasing wall, wherein if said cartridge has physical attributes that when inserted into said receiving portion of a flexible docking bay does not enable a holding mechanism to engage said cartridge in a first position, then said cartridge and said sled-receiving feature travel to a second position, and wherein if said cartridge has physical attributes that when inserted into said receiving portion does enable said holding mechanism to engage said cartridge in said first position, then said cartridge and said sled-receiving feature are held in said first position, wherein said flexible docking bay comprises a locking mechanism that secures said cartridge in said first position when engaged.

2. The flush mounting docking bay of claim 1 , wherein said sled-receiving feature is spring-loaded.

3. A flush mounting docking bay comprising: a body having a cartridge-receiving portion, wherein said cartridge-receiving portion has a rear bounding wall and a front region that defines an opening, and wherein said cartridge-receiving portion further comprises a cartridge-encasing wall extending from said front region to said rear bounding wall; a sled-receiving feature configured to engage a cartridge, wherein said sled-receiving feature is movably coupled with an interior surface of said cartridge-encasing wall, wherein if said cartridge has physical attributes that when inserted into said receiving portion of a flexible docking bay does not enable a holding mechanism to engage said cartridge in a first position, then said cartridge and said sled-receiving feature travel to a second position, and wherein if said cartridge has physical attributes that when inserted into said receiving portion does enable said holding mechanism to engage said cartridge in said first position, then said cartridge and said sled-receiving feature are held in said first position, wherein a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) connection for mating with said cartridge is coupled with said sled-receiving feature and moves with said sled-receiving feature.

4. A flush mounting docking bay comprising: a body having a cartridge-receiving portion, wherein said cartridge-receiving portion has a rear bounding wall and a front region that defines an opening, and wherein said cartridge-receiving portion further comprises a cartridge-encasing wall extending from said front region to said rear bounding wall; a sled-receiving feature configured to engage a cartridge, wherein said sled-receiving feature is movably coupled with an interior surface of said cartridge-encasing wall, wherein if said cartridge has physical attributes that when inserted into said receiving portion of a flexible docking bay does not enable a holding mechanism to engage said cartridge in a first position, then said cartridge and said sled-receiving feature travel to a second position, and wherein if said cartridge has physical attributes that when inserted into said receiving portion does enable said holding mechanism to engage said cartridge in said first position, then said cartridge and said sled-receiving feature are held in said first position, wherein said holding mechanism utilizes side details on said cartridge to limit insertion depth.

5. A flush mounting docking bay comprising: a body having a cartridge-receiving portion, wherein said cartridge-receiving portion has a rear bounding wall and a front region that defines an opening, and wherein said cartridge-receiving portion further comprises a cartridge-encasing wall extending from said front region to said rear bounding wall, wherein said cartridge-encasing wall further comprises a releasable snap-lock mechanism proximate to said rear bounding wall configured to secured said cartridge when said cartridge is in said second position; a sled-receiving feature configured to engage a cartridge, wherein said sled-receiving feature is movably coupled with an interior surface of said cartridge-encasing wall, wherein if said cartridge has physical attributes that when inserted into said receiving portion of a flexible docking bay does not enable a holding mechanism to engage said cartridge in a first position, then said cartridge and said sled-receiving feature travel to a second position, and wherein if said cartridge has physical attributes that when inserted into said receiving portion does enable said holding mechanism to engage said cartridge in said first position, then said cartridge and said sled-receiving feature are held in said first position.

6. A flush mounting docking bay comprising: a body having a cartridge-receiving portion. wherein said cartridge-receiving portion has a rear bounding wall and a front region that defines an opening, and wherein said cartridge-receiving portion further comprises a cartridge-encasing wall extending from said front region to said rear bounding wall; a sled-receiving feature configured to engage a cartridge, wherein said sled-receiving feature is movably coupled with an interior surface of said cartridge-encasing wall, wherein if said cartridge has physical attributes that when inserted into said receiving portion of a flexible docking bay does not enable a holding mechanism to engage said cartridge in a first position, then said cartridge and said sled-receiving feature travel to a second position, and wherein if said cartridge has physical attributes that when inserted into said receiving portion does enable said holding mechanism to engage said cartridge in said first position, then said cartridge and said sled-receiving feature are held in said first position, wherein said sled-receiving feature further comprises a lock mechanism for securing said cartridge.

7. The flush mounting docking bay of claim 1 , wherein said cartridge is a hard disk drive cartridge.

8. A flush mounting docking bay comprising: a body having a cartridge-receiving portion, wherein said cartridge-receiving portion has a rear bounding wall and a front region that defines an opening, and wherein said cartridge-receiving portion further comprises a cartridge-encasing wall extending from said front region to said rear bounding wall; a sled-receiving feature configured to engage a cartridge, wherein said sled-receiving feature is movably coupled with an interior surface of said cartridge-encasing wall, wherein if said cartridge has physical attributes that when inserted into said receiving portion of a flexible docking bay does not enable a holding mechanism to engage said cartridge in a first position, then said cartridge and said sled-receiving feature travel to a second position, and wherein if said cartridge has physical attributes that when inserted into said receiving portion does enable said holding mechanism to engage said cartridge in said first position, then said cartridge and said sled-receiving feature are held in said first position, wherein said cartridge is a Information Versatile Disk for Removable usage (iVDR) hard disk drive cartridge.

9. A flush mounting docking bay comprising: a body having a cartridge-receiving portion, wherein said cartridge-receiving portion has a rear bounding wall and a front region that defines an opening, and wherein said cartridge-receiving portion further comprises a cartridge-encasing wall extending from said front region to said rear bounding wall; a sled-receiving feature configured to engage a cartridge, wherein said sled-receiving feature is movably coupled with an interior surface of said cartridge-encasing wall, wherein if said cartridge has physical attributes that when inserted into said receiving portion of a flexible docking bay does not enable a holding mechanism to engage said cartridge in a first position, then said cartridge and said sled-receiving feature travel to a second position, and wherein if said cartridge has physical attributes that when inserted into said receiving portion does enable said holding mechanism to engage said cartridge in said first position, then said cartridge and said sled-receiving feature are held in said first position, wherein said flexible docking bay is a 3.5″ inch docking bay.

10. The flush mounting docking bay of claim 1 , wherein said sled-receiving feature is spring-loaded as to automatically default to a forward position.

11. The flush mounting docking bay of claim 1 , wherein said physical attributes comprises at least one of cartridge length, cartridge width, cartridge depth, and cartridge shape.

12. The flush mounting docking bay of claim 1 , further comprises an eject bar that, when pushed, ejects said cartridge.

13. A method of manufacturing an adaptable docking bay comprising: forming a body having a cartridge-receiving portion, wherein said cartridge-receiving portion has a rear bounding wall and a front region that defines an opening, wherein said cartridge-receiving portion further comprises a cartridge-encasing wall extending from said front region to said rear bounding wall; coupling a sled-receiving feature configured to engage a cartridge with said body with an interior surface of said cartridge-encasing wall, wherein if said cartridge comprises a set of physical attributes, then said cartridge is able to reach a first position within said docking bay such that said cartridge is flush mounted, and wherein if said cartridge comprises a different set of physical attributes, then said cartridge is able to reach a second position within said docking bay such that said cartridge is flush mounted, wherein said docking bay comprises a locking mechanism that secures said cartridge in said first position when engaged.

14. The method of manufacturing an adaptable docking bay as recited in claim 13 , wherein said physical attributes comprises at least one of cartridge groove pattern, cartridge length, cartridge width, cartridge depth, and cartridge shape.

15. A method of manufacturing an adaptable docking bay comprising: forming a body having a cartridge-receiving portion, wherein said cartridge-receiving portion has a rear bounding wall and a front region that defines an opening, wherein said cartridge-receiving portion further comprises a cartridge-encasing wall extending from said front region to said rear bounding wall; coupling a sled-receiving feature configured to engage a cartridge with said body with an interior surface of said cartridge-encasing wall, wherein if said cartridge comprises a set of physical attributes, then said cartridge is able to reach a first position within said docking bay such that said cartridge is flush mounted, and wherein if said cartridge comprises a different set of physical attributes, then said cartridge is able to reach a second position within said docking bay such that said cartridge is flush mounted; and coupling said sled-receiving feature with said body via a pair of parallel guide rails located on said interior surface of said cartridge-encasing wall.

16. A method of manufacturing an adaptable docking bay comprising: forming a body having a cartridge-receiving portion, wherein said cartridge-receiving portion has a rear bounding wall and a front region that defines an opening, wherein said cartridge-receiving portion further comprises a cartridge-encasing wall extending from said front region to said rear bounding wall; coupling a sled-receiving feature configured to engage a cartridge with said body with an interior surface of said cartridge-encasing wall, wherein if said cartridge comprises a set of physical attributes, then said cartridge is able to reach a first position within said docking bay such that said cartridge is flush mounted, and wherein if said cartridge comprises a different set of physical attributes, then said cartridge is able to reach a second position within said docking bay such that said cartridge is flush mounted; and coupling an eject bar with the interior surface of said cartridge-encasing wall, wherein said eject bar is configured to eject said cartridge with an extractor handle coupled with said eject bar when said eject bar is utilized.

17. An adjustable docking bay for flush mounting comprising: a cartridge-receiving means having a front region that defines an opening and a rear region that defines a rear bounding wall, wherein said cartridge-receiving means further comprises a cartridge-encasing wall extending from said opening to said rear bounding wall; a sled-receiving means configured to engage a cartridge, wherein if said cartridge has physical attributes that when inserted into said receiving portion of said docking bay disengages a releasable lock that secures said sled-receiving means in a first position, then said cartridge and said sled-receiving means travel past said releasable lock to a second position, and wherein if said cartridge has physical attributes that when fully inserted into said receiving portion fails to disengage said releasable lock, then said cartridge and said sled-receiving means are held in said first position.

18. The adjustable docking bay of claim 17 , wherein if said cartridge is fully inserted and said sled-receiving means is in said second position, said cartridge does not protrude from said adjustable docking bay.

19. The adjustable docking bay of claim 17 , wherein said physical attributes comprises at least one of cartridge groove pattern, cartridge length, cartridge width, cartridge depth, and cartridge shape.